Irreverent Reverence, Day 97: Joshua’s Arm Cramp
Is it possible that Joshua would have killed people by not pointing his spear at the advancing army?
Go on and read Joshua 7-8, Proverbs 30, and entry.
Archive for April 6th, 2010
Tech News for the Day, Tuesday, April 6, 2010
If you want to transmit your tunes to your car from a Google Nexus One, the Kidigi is here.
Microsoft is planning a big unveiling event on April 12th.
Bandai Namco is releasing three iPad games, including Pac-Man.
Someone puts an iPad in a car. The future is here.
Here are two problems with the iPad.
Netflix is coming to the iPhone Touch and iPhone.
GriffinTechnologies is putting out some new iPad products.
Here’s some iPad Cases from ColcaSac. Gelaskins have some iPad skins for them.
A company People of Lava developing Scandinavia, an Android-based TV.
JVC HD Everio GZ-HMI camera is now available. So is the Toshiba Camileo X100.
Here’s something that can protect your camera from scratches, the Zero Angle.
Check out the Sensation Lounge chair.
Here’s how to send a hug online with the Huggy Pajama.
Here’s the Land Peel furniture is pretty modular.
The Runbot Returns With Version Two
Good day to you, dear readers! Today, we’re discussing robots. Of course, most robots in real-life aren’t like the mechanical beings of science fiction we’ve seen in films such as Star Wars, The Terminator, I-Robot and Transformers. Actual robots are usually machines designed to self-operate and perform the specific tasks they were created for without having a mind of their own. However, some researchers are still striving to create robots that actually move and act like human beings or animals. One example of this is the Runbot.
Developed by Honda Robotics a few years ago, the Runbot was hailed as the fastest walking robot in the world. Based on theories of Nikolai Bernstein, this robot was a tiny biped that could move at speeds exceeding three leg lengths per second. This is only slightly slower than the fastest possible speed of a human. The robot’s movement was made possible by circuits that interpreted data from peripheral sensors on its joints and feet. The Runbot also had an accelerometer and neural loops to analyze the data from the sensors so it could adjust its movements to walk around in a real-time environment and keep its balance while in motion.
Now developers of the original Runbot follow up with the Runbot2. This new model actually has four legs instead of two like the original version. The robot’s body seems to resemble an animal more closely than a human this time and it is hooked up to multiple wires. It has a length of about forty centimeters and its speed is 1.3 meters per second. The idea behind this new version is to make a robot that’s capable of performing both a slow trot and a full gallop, much like the real movements of an animal. Apparently, these researchers are very determined to re-create life through technology. However, if science fiction movies have taught us anything, it’s that such innovation isn’t necessarily such a good idea.
The Air Force Gets An Automated Spacecraft
The constant advance of technology continues to surprise us with unexpected and unique developments created to make our lives easier, more productive and safer. Take a moment to think about some of the tech we’ve seen come out since the last century. There was a time before automatic doors, personal computers, cell phones, Bluetooth headsets and wireless devices ever existed. Such things were only considered part of science fiction once. Now almost anything seems possible with new technology. Just look at the Air Force. They now have a spacecraft designed to operate by itself without a human pilot.
This automated spacecraft is called the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, created by NASA and Boeing. Its design gives it the likeness of a small space shuttle. Though details about its purpose are currently top secret, the X-37B is scheduled for a test run on April 19. During this demonstration, the spacecraft will complete tasks in low Earth orbit before it automatically lands on a runway in California. The X-37B weighs 11,000 pounds, has a wingspan of under fifteen feet and is thirty feet in length. Cape Canaveral will be its launching point and it will be sent on top of an Atlas V rocket. The spacecraft will also use solar panels to generate electricity while in orbit. It can function independently in space for up to 270 days.
The X-37B can perform its own re-entry and landing procedures as well as orbiting in space automatically. Currently, there is no word to confirm whether or not this spacecraft was designed with weapons capability in mind. However, a defense analyst spoken to AP and said that carrying things of importance in its cargo bay is one possible function for the X-37B as it is used for military assignments and trips to space before returning to Earth. NASA is currently working on development of the spacecraft with many other organizations, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the effort. On April 19, more information could be released about this automated spacecraft and it will prove whether or not it’s worth such an investment.
